Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-30

nelu up one 0I the huge pans lOr DOLL
ing sap.
Why, Norman" he exclaimed,
"why amt you down to the house
with the rest of the young folks?"
81 don't see as l can CO." answer
ed Norman. Look here, see how
this brick work is settling. 'Twon't
hold up till morning. Pve got to go
right off and get a mason to see to it.
Bill must rake the fire out, an I'll
get d man here tonight if possible.
Can't afford to stop boiling when
there's such run of sap as this"
Farmer Dunlap concurred in this.
Norman promised to come in by-and-
by, and the two separated, leaving
the camp alone with Bill Stevens to
watch the boiling kettles.
Norman fastened to his own house.
He had deep respect for the majes-
ty of the law, and was by no means
sure he was doing right in helping
Thornell off, but the thought of Het-
ty and the misery in store for her,
nerved him to push on his under
taking.
He found the singing master wait
ing in the horse barn. Hurriedly and
in silence the two men fed the stock
and put things in order tor the night.
Norman harnessed Black Bess, his
fastest horse, into his most roomy
sleigh.
You'd better come into the house
and get bite" he said.
Thanks, l couldn't eat" was the
answer, " but where are you taking
me?"
"I've got to 60 toward the Centre
to get a mason," answered Norman.
T" I'll put you in the bottom of the
sleigh and cover you up with robes,
and I'll leave you at that little way
station, near Long Bridge. The train
from the south will be along in an
hour and you can board it and be
half way to Canada before they get
back from the Mills, where they are
looking for you"
The plan. worked well. When
Thornell shook himself free from the
fur robes he said: ~ don't know
how to thank you for this. / am bad
enough, but not quite lost" then he
hurriedly told atale oftemptation and
weakness, and how, in an evil hour,
he had forged his employers name to
check to raise money to meet his
most pressing liabilities.
81 have never had happy mo-
ment since," he went on, Sand I
swear to you that, if it were not for
my poor mother, would go back
now, give myself up and take the
consequences of my crime"
} "And Hetty," said Norman invol.
UNFAIRLY. The singing master looked
at him curiously.
"That's it, is it?" said he. 81
| wondered what made you so fond OF
me all at once. 1t was on Hetty's
account it seems. Well, 1 don't
} mind telling you that you are all
wrong there. l don't suppose you
will take me back and deliver me ur
} now, even if you do know that Miss
Hetty said No to me, very decided
ly, not five minutes before / founG
you in the woods this evening""
He turned abruptly away and thu
two men never met again. But Nor
man found his mason and arranged
; for the work to be done, feeling as i
he trod on air. Black Bess flew owe
the ground on her homeWard way
and it was not late when he reinet
i up before Farmer Dunlap's door
Still, the guests had all gone home
Z and the farmer had just finished tell
ing Hetty the story of Thornell's dis
g grace as Norman came in. Hett,
:. looked pale and frightened. Sh
knew no gradations in crime, and
seemed to her she had been pollute,
y by her acquaintance with a man VIII
l. might be sent to prison. Som'
instinct told Mr.. and Mrs. Dunlap t
: leave the two together, so the
Z slipped away, and when Norman sa
down by her on the sofa and dreV
|, her close to his side, saying, M,
y poor little girl" Hetty fell to cryin
= on his shoulder as if it were the mos
u natural thing in the world to dc
o Gently he soothed her and told he
Il the story of Thornell's fight and hi
own hopes and fears, while she, rest
y ing quietly in his arms listened Will,
J. out word until Ire said:
|. But it's all right now, isn't
I 6ear?D